In our last article we talked about the three E’s of content marketing.  Creating great content that aligns with the three E’s begins by knowing your audience.  Although the importance of knowing your audience and narrowing down a target market is critical, clearly defining your message is just as important. In other words, don’t try to cram everything into a single animated explainer video.

Create Tailored Videos

We offer a ton of programs in the mortgage industry.  It’s not just one widget.  So, you’ll need different videos for each of these. For example, you might need:

• An explainer video to give basic consumer application process
• A more complex video overview of VA Home Loan Benefit qualifications
• A powerful TED Talk-type of message from your CEO

Don’t try to explain what your company does, what programs you offer and the great service you provide all in the same video.

Take the time to create a tailored video with a specific message and a specific goal.  When you do thi...

I was speaking at marketing conference last year.  A session I was excited about attending was on what to post on social media.  One of the panelists in the session said that it really didn’t matter what you post on social media as long as you are posting.  He then promptly brought out his phone and began recording a live video saying that he was speaking at a conference on social media.  Really?  I thought.  Sure it’s good to brand yourself as an expert in what you do but it would be better to do a video stating that he was speaking at a conference talking about the top three messages that are easy to create on social media that drives attention.  That message would leave his audience wondering what they were.  They may even post something in the chat asking him to share.  He could later go on and share his three tips on social and link back to speaking at the conference.  Just shooting a video stating you are someone is like telling someone you are going to Starbucks for a latte.  Un...

We know that right now, the reason no one is producing videos all the time is because everyone is slammed. But this is not going to last forever and creating videos and having a plan for creating videos is important for 2021. The real reason everyone is not producing video all the time is that they have a plan for creating videos. Many originators set out to add video to their marketing strategy without having a clear idea of how much it's going to cost them or a clear idea of the process.

The truth is that the most important part of the creating videos happens before you hit record.

Planning and figuring out what you are going to talk about is really where most of the magic happens. This is long before you hit the “record” button.You can’t create knockout videos without first making a plan of what you are going to talk about. You can hire a professional video production team who comes in and shoots video and you can hire editors who will edit and produce your videos, but most video ...

Throughout the month of November, I have been sharing the steps that you need to take to set yourself up for success and reach your goals! Once you've have a set of goals in mind, drafted a plan, can manage your time efficiently and identified your areas of improvements, now it's time to set your routine and master the disciplines. 

What are the disciplines you can get into the practice of doing, that will allow you to succeed in reaching your goals regardless of the rates or market conditions? Set disciplines that will become a part of your routine and daily habits and stick with it. Write them down. 

These can be things such as:

• Set 3 appointments with realtors/partners weekly
• Hold monthly partner planning meetings with top partners
• Block out 2 hours per week to create videos to share via BombBomb, YouTube or Social Media
• Make 6 daily loyal client calls
• Conduct daily pipeline meetings
• Create a morning routine for practicing script writing, gaining product knowledge, updatin
...

Over the past couple weeks, we have been sharing the steps to success that are needed in order to obtain your objectives - from identifying your goals to making a plan to managing your time more efficiently.

Once you've identified your goals, drafted a plan and brainstormed time management tips, now it's time to identify your areas for improvement.

You may feel like there's one area in your life that you have everything down exactly how it should be, but let's face it, we can always benefit by improving all areas of our lives. And it starts with identifying the areas that are we lacking in. 

Identify Practices that Enhance Your Business

What are 2 to 3 business practices that will enhance or change your business? Take some time to think of things that you have tried in your business that have worked. Think of things that have produced even the tiniest result. Something little can go a long way. Write them down and come up with a system on how to implement them into your work days.

Last week I shared with you the first of five steps to successful planning, which was all about SMART goals, how to use them to your advantage and achieve your dreams!

When you combine the elements of SMART goals, you have a greater chance of success and now that you know how to create and use SMART goals, the next step is creating a plan and learning how to manage your time.

Creating a plan and managing your time go hand-in-hand. They are two critical steps in your steps to success. Having a plan allows you to have an idea of how you're going to fulfill your goals, and managing your time keeps you on track with the timeline in which you want to reach those set goals.

Create a Plan

It is critical to have a plan and know the numbers that you need to work to reach your goals. This means you need to go through the process of quantifying your plan. You need to know the number of leads you need, the number of loans, orders or sales you need in order to reach your annual income goal.

Kn...

You’ve heard the saying, make a plan and work the plan….but how do you make the plan…and more importantly how do you keep yourself on task to make sure you are doing everything you can each and every day to work your plan? It all begins with setting goals!

The reality is that most people do not achieve their goals because they haven't taken the time do to five simple things to set them up for success. I'll be sharing those five simple things with you over the next month! This week's topic is all about SMART goals.

Whenever you create goals, you will find that following the rules for SMART goals will be easier to achieve. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. When you combine the elements of SMART goals, you have a greater chance of success. Let’s begin with S-which is specific goals.

Specific Goals

Goals need to be specific. You will not be able to reach you goals if they are broad and general because planning will be too difficult. For example, “...

Over the past few weeks I’ve been sharing details about a few of the best video editing softwares out there. Last week I shared information about Final Cut Pro X and this week I am going to share details about iMovie. Video is an incredible way to promote yourself, your expertise and your business. In fact, studies have shown that people are more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it, so now is the time to start learning the basics of video editing! 

iMovie is a desktop video editing software that comes with almost every Apple product they release, making it free to those who own Apple merchandise. Because it is made by Apple, it is only available for those who have Apple products. iMovie is considered the best video editing application for beginners due to its clean and easy to understand interface. If you’re new to video editing, this is the application for you because it allows for easy comprehension of how it works and how to enter the video editing world.

How D...

Last week I shared details about Camtasia, an easy-to-use video editing program for beginners. This is a great option out there for those who aren’t as familiar with the ins and outs of video production, but want to give it a try. There are a number of different video editing programs and this week I am going to share details about Final Cut Pro X.

Final Cut Pro X is a desktop application made by Apple. It’s a great video editing software for those who have Macs, because it’s not available to Windows users. This program is mostly used by independent filmmakers and those that produce videos as a hobby. 

It works similarly to Adobe Premiere, but it doesn’t include as complex of features like Premiere does. You start editing by importing images, audio and video from a file on your computer or external hard drive. It’s quick and easy to use for those who are familiar with video editing, but don’t have a ton of experience. 

Compared to Premiere, Final Cut is less expensive since Adobe re...

If you are wanting an easy to use video editing software that doesn’t require you to go to film school, Camtasia by TechSmith may be the software for you. Last week I shared details with you about Adobe Premiere Pro, and this week I am sharing how Camtasia By TechSmith works, along with its best features. 

Camtasia By TechSmith

Camtasia is more than just a video editing software.  In fact, it is basically two software’s in one - a screen recording and a video editing software. 

The video editing software works similar to how Adobe Premiere Pro operates by importing videos, audio and graphics into the library from a file source located on a desktop or hard drive. However; it is much more simple to use. Camtasia’s video editing capabilities is one of the main reasons we recommend it to our clients. Its clean layout and operating system makes the learning process quick and simple. It allows you to edit content you recorded on your computer, while also giving you the option to add...